MacBook Pro vs Dell XPS: Which Laptop Should You Choose?

If you’re planning to buy a laptop, you probably already know that there are lots of options to choose from nowadays. But, if you want a unit that has superb specs and excellent performance fit for professional use, you’ll want to narrow down your list to two models: the Apple MacBook Pro and the Dell XPS.

Both of these units are currently considered to be the pinnacle of professional-level laptops, so choosing between them can be a bit tricky. We’ve compared the 15-inch variants of these two models to help you decide.

Build and Design

The 15-inch Apple MacBook Pro and Dell XPS are almost similar in terms of dimensions. The MacBook Pro measures 9.48 inches high and 13.75 inches wide, while the XPS measures 9.27 inches high and 14.06 inches wide. However, because of the way their body is designed, the latter looks flabbier than the former — even though the XPS is just a few millimeters thicker than the MacBook Pro.

Speaking of design, the Dell XPS features a tapered build (it’s thicker at the back and slimmer at the front) while the MacBook Pro is thin from front to back. This form factor evenly distributes the weight of the MacBook Pro and makes it easier to pick up and carry, even though at 4.02 pounds it’s a bit heavier than the Dell XPS’s 4.0-pound weight.

The MacBook Pro sticks to Apple’s tried-and-tested aluminum unibody, although it’s different from previous models in that it has an etched, metallic Apple logo instead of the glowing one its older siblings had. The Dell XPS also uses aluminum in its line and underbody, but it differs from Apple’s laptop in that it uses carbon fiber on its keyboard surround. This gives the XPS a sleek and unique appearance.

In terms of display, the Dell XPS provides you with two options: a 1080p display or a 4K touchscreen one. Both of these are great, but tech experts believe that the MacBook Pro’s Retina display is better since it comes with higher color accuracy and contrast ratio.

Specs

The Apple MacBook Pro and the Dell XPS run on different hardware. Many tech experts agree that the Dell XPS is the better choice in terms of processors since it runs on seventh-generation Kaby Lake chips from Intel. These have faster speeds and higher processing powers than Intel’s sixth-generation Skylake chips (which are what the MacBook Pro uses), and they consume less energy and therefore extend the battery’s life.

Laptop fans are divided when it comes to the two models’ GPUs. The Dell XPS uses the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050, while the MacBook Pro lets you choose among the AMD Radeon Pro 450, 455, or 460. The GTX 1050 is more powerful than the AMD Radeon Pro GPUs used in the MacBook Pro, making the Dell XPS a better choice for gamers. However, it’s important to note that the GTX 1050 is a power-hungry graphics card while the Radeon Pro GPUS consume less energy and generate less heat, which is why many remote workers prefer the MacBook Pro.

Price

If you’re on a budget, you’ll definitely want to opt for the Dell XPS. The basic configuration starts at $999.99, although the price can climb to $2,049.99 if you choose the Intel i7 version with a 512 GB PCIe Solid State Drive and a touch display. The MacBook Pro, on the other hand, starts at $1,999 for the basic configuration and can reach $2,799 if you opt for the 2.7GHz processor and 512 GB storage.